VA Expands Support for Family Caregivers of Disabled Veterans
The Department of Veterans Affairs aims to expand options for family caregivers who support veterans with disabilities. The agency issued a weekend press release in July announcing a proposed rule “to extend Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) eligibility for certain Veterans and their family caregivers through Sept. 30, 2028.”
This is part of a VA expansion of the program announced in 2024. According to VA.gov, the VA has worked to expand access to the program, described as “an essential part of VA health care, ensuring that family caregivers of eligible Veterans get the comprehensive support they need.”
The new rule (and the expansion in general) is meant to reduce healthcare burdens on veterans and caregivers. As the program has evolved, its eligibility criteria have too.
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What Is PCAFC?
The VA official site describes the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers as “enhanced clinical support for Family Caregivers of eligible Veterans,” who may include:
- The adult spouse, son, daughter, parent, stepfamily member, or extended family member of the veteran, or
- Caregivers who live full time with the veteran, or who are willing to live full time with the veteran if designated by the VA as a family caregiver.
To qualify for PCAFC, the veteran must have a serious medical issue that was received “in the line of duty in the active military, naval or air service during any service era.”
The following must also apply. The veteran must:
- Have a VA disability rating of 70% or more, and
- Require qualifying personal care services “for a minimum of six continuous months”
Expanded Caregiver Support
Under the VA’s proposed rule, PCAFC eligibility for legacy participants, legacy applicants, and their family caregivers would be extended for three years “while VA continues the rulemaking process to refine the program.
The extension will ensure that legacy participants and applicants can maintain their benefits and stability during this time,” according to a VA press release.
The VA states that for this expanded program, “legacy caregivers” or those participating in PCAFC as of September 30, 2020, may qualify for the expanded PCAFC option.
There are also “legacy applicants” described as “Veterans, servicemembers, and their family caregivers who applied for PCAFC before Oct. 1, 2020, and were accepted into the program on or after Oct. 1, 2020.”
“Legacy caregivers have helped shape VA’s Caregiver Support Program for many years,” said the VA Secretary, who adds. “This decision underscores VA’s commitment to Veterans and caregivers across the nation and will help provide consistency and stability to nearly 15,000 legacy participants for years to come.”
VA.gov says PCAFC benefits include education and training, plus “respite care, counseling, technical support, a monthly stipend, and access to health care” through CHAMPVA, also known as the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
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About the author
Editor-in-Chief Joe Wallace is a 13-year veteran of the United States Air Force and a former reporter/editor for Air Force Television News and the Pentagon Channel. His freelance work includes contract work for Motorola, VALoans.com, and Credit Karma. He is co-founder of Dim Art House in Springfield, Illinois, and spends his non-writing time as an abstract painter, independent publisher, and occasional filmmaker.
